Tucked away in the back corner of Tonic’s basement bar, a neon sign marks the entrance of Last Exit, Mount Pleasant’s newest speakeasy-like cocktail den, which opens today. As you pass through a dim hallway, the space unfolds, a former accounting office repurposed with an eclectic mix of tufted couches, vinyl chairs, and low-lit red lights. The bar holds just six stools, and its crown jewels sit on the top shelf: glass jars of spirits flavored with fruits, herbs, and spices; the display mimics a pantry lineup of summer-bounty preserves. (I challenged a bartender to fish two chilies out of a large glass jar that also held clementine wedges. Another customer and I cautiously popped them whole–we wish we hadn’t.)

Each of these six infusions, sipped over ice with a splash of soda or tonic water, comes with a little food pairing: mint-infused bourbon with chocolate chips, tea-infused vodka with popcorn. Bar manager Patrice Cleary heats up a rosemary vodka with black peppercorns for the Harrison cocktail, topped with tonic and served with green grapes. Patrice’s favorite drink is the Josephine: grapefruit peel, thyme, and gin. While the scent is floral, the drink has a bitter finish, but pop its accompaniment, a jelly bean, and the sweetness provides balance. There are also three “classic” cocktails and three “sexy and seductive” ones, original creations with names such as Strapless Rayon Dress.

The eight-item (five savory, three sweet) small-plates menu features my favorite part of Last Exit: chicken La Paloma, shredded braised chicken in a deep-fried pastry, flanked with salsa and black-bean aïoli. The recipe for the small meat pies comes from Patrice’s mother, Alice. If those little parcels—some of the tastiest bar bites I’ve had in a while—are any indication, Last Exit has lots of potential.Last Exit, 3155 Mount Pleasant St., NW; 202-986-7661; lastexitdc.com. Open daily at 7 PM.

InfusionsThe creativity behind the infusions allows us to frequently introduce new and tantalizing cocktails to you. Enjoy them while they are here, but prepare yourselves for the ones that are yet to come.

The Harrison $11Rosemary-and-black-peppercorn-infused vodka served on the rocks with a splash of tonic and paired with a side of green grapes

The Violetta $11Mint-infused bourbon served on the rocks with a dash of sweet syrup and paired with a side of chocolate chips

The Josephine $11Grapefruit-and-thyme-infused gin served on the rocks with club soda and paired with a side of jelly beans

The Margare’ $11Pineapple-infused vodka served up in a martini glass and paired with a side of potato chips

The Antoinette $11Ginger-and-blackstrap-molasses-infused vodka served on the rocks with fresh-squeezed orange juice and paired with a side of granola

The Olivia $11Our secret house-made-tea-infused vodka served on the rocks and paired with a side of popcorn